Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's 2004 Yamaha Grizzly 660

Anyone have experience with one of these? Looking for a second vehicle to have in the rotation to work on, and hopefully have 2 running at the same time occasionally. 😀

I had one. They're a brute and can work hard. The recoil pull cord starter is a joke if the engine is cold. They are cold natured and once I had to warm the carb to get mine to start. IME the 660 is heavier and tougher than the 700. I have a first year 700 with fuel injection and power steering. In the Summer my 660 had a habit of boiling the gas in the carb If I rode slow in high temps. If just riding normally it wasn't a problem. I fixed the problem with an aftermarket radiator and higher cfm fan and cut one of the "shark gill" vents on each side.

The 450s and 660s around that time back drained fuel after sitting a while, so they took a bit to pump fuel back to the carb, IIRC….or am stating it correctly?….vs just being ‘cold natured’, which they can be. There’s a fix for it, but I can’t recall what it was, though it’s easy enough I should’ve done it many times already. LOL

The 660 has a gravity fed carb. When I bought mine used the needle valve in the carb didn't hold the fuel back and I had to close the petcock when I shut it off. When I went to start it after it had set for a while I opened the petcock and waited until the carb bowl filled. I had to use my wife's blow dryer to warm the carb to get it to start one time. That is cold natured!

As Dave mentioned above, a bear to start with the pull cord when cold. I'm not man enough to do it. I also have to close my petcock when not in use or it'll drain and flood. Runs strong for sure. Mine is an 06 model. If I remember right that's the first year that they got IFS?

Strong running machine, but someone I know and trust had a throttle stickage issue with a 660 Grizz a few months ago. Bike wound up hundreds of yards away, in the woods, and trashed itself, still running wide open. I saw the photos. A hospital stay was involved. I won't have one.

I have been seeing a lot of those around here for sale om marketplace with Major oil leaks at the engine crank seals.....I would pass unless a very low hour machine...

I'd get the 700 with EFI, my Rhino has that motor and it is bomb proof.

Exact reason there is a kill switch accessible by thumb.

It sold before I got a chance to look at it. Oh well.

My brother bought one new in 04 (660) and it was nothing but junk. Had it 3 years and the engine died and needed rebuilding. It started when it wanted to and only way to keep it running from the get go was to keep it at half choke. He stupidly kept putting money into it but never was right. Gave it away 3 years ago.

Fantastic machines. Like any, they have their quirks, but for ride quality, power, ease of use, and all around fun-factor they are golden.

I had a couple of different ones for a total of 14 years both great bikes. Avoid the earliest debuted models due to fuel boiling.
I now have two 700 grizzlies, 08, 09. Great bikes, they do seem to have a bit more engine/valve noise then I fined acceptable. Both are low miles and well maintained.

The '04 grizz may be one of the best bikes ever made, I'd give that nod to Honda if they had given a chit about brakes and ride quality with so many of their bikes from that era, but they didn't.

Have had both...660 & 700

each had its own issues...

have an '18 Teryx 800 now.....4600 miles & running strong